Merrill Field
IATA: MRI – ICAO: PAMR – FAA LID: MRI
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Municipality of Anchorage
Location		Anchorage, Alaska
Elevation AMSL		137 ft / 42 m
Coordinates		61°12′49″N 149°50′40″W / 61.21361°N 149.84444°W / 61.21361; -149.84444
Website		www.MerrillField.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
4/22	2,000	610	Gravel/Dirt
7/25	4,000	1,219	Asphalt
16/34	2,640	805	Asphalt
Statistics (2004)
Aircraft operations			191,550
Based aircraft			966
Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Merrill Field (IATA: MRI, ICAO: PAMR, FAA LID: MRI) is a public-use general aviation airport located one mile (1.6 km) east of downtown Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is owned by Municipality of Anchorage.

This was the first official airport in Anchorage when it opened in 1930. The airport is named for Russel Merrill, an Alaskan aviation pioneer. The first aviation beacon in the Territory of Alaska was located at Merrill Field and was dedicated on September 25, 1932 in Merrill's honor.

Merrill Field is home to the University of Alaska Anchorage's Aviation Technology Division, as well as many local flight schools, air taxi services, and fixed base operators. An extension of the Q Taxiway connects the airport to Alaska Regional Hospital for MEDEVAC operations.

A section of the airport is built over the closed Merrill Field Land Fill. This section requires slightly more maintenance due to settling and emissions.

Facilities and aircraft

Merrill Field covers 436 acres (176 ha, 1.76 km²) and has three runways:

• Runway 4/22: 2,000 x 60 ft (610 x 18 m), Surface: Gravel/Dirt
• Runway 7/25: 4,000 x 100 ft (1,219 x 30 m), Surface: Asphalt
• Runway 16/34: 2,640 x 75 ft (805 x 23 m), Surface: Asphalt

For 12-month period ending August 5, 2004, the airport had 191,550 aircraft operations, an average of 524 per day, 100% of which were general aviation. There are 966 aircraft based at this airport: 93% single engine, 5% multi-engine, 2% helicopters and <1% gliders.

History

Merrill Field, located on the east end of 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, was the only airport serving Anchorage until 1951 when the introduction of ever larger and faster commercial aircraft required that an airfield with longer and heavier runways be built.

The airstrip is still in use today as the primary field for private wheel equipped aircraft in the warmer months and for ski equipped in the winter.

"Only 370 miles South of the Arctic Circle"

MRI (PAMR) -- N61°12.86' by W149° 50.77'

Merrill Field was established in 1930 one mile east of downtown Anchorage on 436 acres. This was the first real airport in Anchorage. The airport bears the name of Russel Hyde Merrill.  Russel Merrill was an early Alaskan aviation pioneer who disappeared in September 1929 on a flight to Bethel. The first aviation beacon in the Territory of Alaska was located at Merrill Field and was dedicated on September 25, 1932 to the honor of Russ Merrill. 

Merrill Field is a Commercial Service airport. The Mission is (1) to provide an environment that meets the needs of the general aviation community, (2) to encourage private business and (3) to promote economic development, while (4) maintaining a viable financial position and (5) being a good neighbor within our community.

Merrill Field was Anchorage's first true airport. In the early days Alaska had limited lines of communication throughout the state, particularly during the winter. The first airplanes and their pilots that ventured up north changed that. General aviation was the core about which the Territory, and then the State, grew.

With the adoption of a chamber resolution in 1929, the city established an airport, known then as the "Aviation Field" one mile east of downtown Anchorage in 1930 on 436 acres of land. Because of its geographical location, the airport would not only serve the needs of the city of Anchorage but also those of commercial aviation and would offer a military base for use by the Army and Navy in Alaska.

In 1940, the 4th infantry, Eleventh Air Force and the Alaska Defense Command arrived at Merrill Field to begin building a new military base. Until construction was complete on Fort Richardson in 1941, their planes flew from Merrill Field. The first aviation beacon in the Territory of Alaska was located at Merrill Field.

About Russ Merrill

Although Russ Merrill was the second pilot to fly from the "Lower 48" to Alaska, he nevertheless is credited with many firsts. His initial flight was made in a Curtiss F Flying Boat. This was the first flight across the Gulf of Alaska. This was also the first commercial flight westward from Juneau. In November 1927, Merrill became the first pilot to cross the Alaska Range and fly over the remote Kuskokwim River. In an unsuccessful attempt to fly through Rainy Pass, he probed farther south and discovered a second pass. This pass, now known as Merrill Pass, opened a shorter, quicker air route to the lower Kuskokwim area.

Later that same year Merrill received a Signal Corps radio message to fly to Ninilchik and airlift a schoolteacher, near death from a gunshot wound, to Anchorage. Merrill, with his critically wounded passenger, circled and recircled Anchorage at night trying to distinguish the landing field on the park strip. When the citizens realized his plight, they set bonfires around the field and used automobile lights to help indicate the direction. Merrill executed a smooth landing, thus making the first night landing ever in Anchorage.

By 1929, commercial aviation increased rapidly and Merrill flew 10-to-12 hours daily. For his third flight of September 16, 1929, he loaded his plane with heavy machinery destined for Sleetmute and Bethel. That was the last time "Russ" Merrill was ever seen. On October 20, fabric identified as that from the tail section of his plane, was found on a Cook Inlet beach. Some believe he fell asleep and flew into the inlet while others guess he had been forced down on the inlet and cut the fabric to use as a sail before the plane was swamped and sunk in a gale the next night.

On Sunday, September 25, 1932, the field was dedicated in memory of Russell Hyde Merrill.

Airport Layout (Click on the photo to enlarge)

Runway Information

Runway 04/22

Runway 07/25

Runway 16/34

Radio Navigation Aids

Remarks

Based Aircraft

Operational Statistics

Merrill Field Airport

Merrill Field
800 Merrill Field Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99501

Telephone: (907) 343-6303
Fax: (907) 276-8421

E-mail: merrillinfo@muni.org

URL: http://www.muni.org/merrill1/merrill1.cfm

Images and information placed above are from
http://www.airport-data.com/airport/MRI/

http://www.muni.org/merrill1/merrill1.cfm

We thank them for the data!

General Info
Country	United States
State	ALASKA
FAA ID	MRI
Latitude	61-12-51.763N
Longitude	149-50-46.181W
Elevation	137 feet
Near City	ANCHORAGE

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